Pendulum.



No. 654,726. Patented July 3|, 1900.

F. GETTY.

PENDULUM.

(Application filed July 13, 1899.

(No Model.)

terrain Spares Aren't omen,

FRED I. GETTY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE AUTOMATIC ELECTRICCLOCK-COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PEND/ULUM. f

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654:,726, dated July31, 1900. Application filed July 13, 1899. Serial No. 723,704. (Nmodel.)

has for its object the provision of a simple and effective connectionbetween the upper end of the pendul-u m-rod and the suspension-plate bymeans of which it is carried, said provision be ing such that all lostmotion is taken up by the same and accuracy of regulation is'therebyassured. I-Ieretofore it has been customary in eifecting this connectionto provide the upper end of the pendulum-rod with a vertical slot toembrace the suspension-plate and with a transverse slot to receive atransverse pin on said plate. Such a construction,while it permits theready removal and replacement of the pendulum and also permits it tovary its angular relation transversely of its path of motion in order toaccommodate changes in the position of the clock or other instrumentfrom the vertical, is open to the objection that unless the fit betweenthe vertical walls of the slot and the similar walls of thesuspension-plate is absolutely accurate more or less lost motion willexist between the two, and the accuracy of the pendulum will thus bemore or less seriously affected. Moreover, this lost motion tends toincrease or even to come into existence through wear between the parts.

It is the particular object of my present invention to provide a simpleand efficient construction which will overcome this objection and bymeans of which the pendulum will be not only readily detachable andreplaceable, but there will also be an automatic taking up of all lostmotion, whether due to imperfections in the fitting of the parts or towear.

To'these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which Iwill now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly invertical section, of a pendulum embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the connectionbetween the pendulum rod and suspensionplate seen from the side oppositeto that shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional viewthrough said connection, the stem of the pendulum-rod and its pin beingshown in elevation.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the pendulum-rod, and 2 the bob orweight thereof, these parts being of any approved construction.

3 indicates a fixed arm projecting from the frame of the clock or otherinstrument in connection with which the pendulum is to be employed. Thisarm has secured to it in any suitable manner a plate at, from whichextend downward two flexible or spring pieces 5, which carry thesuspension-plate 6. This suspension-plate is provided with a slot oropening 7, the upper portion of which is ofa diameter sufliciently largeto receive the connecting pin hereinbefore described. The lower portionof the slot or opening 7 is of decreasing diameter downward, as shown,so as to give to it an approximately V shape, as indicated at 8. Thewall of this V-shaped portion is beveled or inclined on that sidethereof opposite to that on which the pin is inserted, as indicated at9; but this bevel or incline does not extend clear through to theopposite side of the plate, the margin of the aperture being cut away atright angles on said opposite side, as indicated at 10, to form aclearance or relief.

The pendulunrrod 1 has at its upper end a stem or extension 11, one sideof which is finished oif in a flat or plane surface 12 to fit againstthe corresponding or abutting face of the suspension-plate 6. This stemor projection 11 is provided with a pin 13, which is beveled off. fromits outer extremity toward the stem, as indicated at 14:,said bevelcorresponding with the bevel 9 of the opening in the suspension-plate.

It will be seen that in order to connect the pendulum with itssuspension-plate it is only necessary to insert the pin 13 through theenlarged upper portion of the aperture in the suspension-plate and tothen allow the pen dulum to be lowered by its own weight, where upon thebeveled under surface 14: of the pin 13 will come into contact with thebeveled esms portions 9 of the aperture in the suspensionplate, and bythis contact and the inclination of the beveled surfaces the planesurface of the stem of the pendulum will be firmly drawn against thecorresponding abutting face of the suspension-plate and there held bythe weight of the pendulum. It will also be seen that the constructionis such that the conneetion will automatically adjust itself to anyvariations in fit and to any wear which may occur, so that by merelyinserting the pin hrough the aperture and releasing the pen dulum theweight of this latter will draw the face of its stem firmly and evenlyagainst the face of the suspension-plate and will also hold it firmly incontact therewith and will pre vent any lost motion between the parts,thus insuring accuracy on the part of the pendu-- lum. It will beobserved that the pendulum may be detached by simplylifting it until thepin lies in the enlarged upper portion of the opening in thesuspension-plate, whereupon a lateral movement of the upper end of thependulum-rod will disengage the pin and Ge tach the pendulum. It willalso be observed that the connection is such that the pendulum is freeto change its angular relation to the suspension-plate transversely tothe path of motion, turning upon the pin 13 as a pivot for this purpose,so as to cause the pendulum to automatically adjust itself to anydeviation from the true vertical position on the part of the clock orother instrument in connection with which it may be employed. Theprovision of a clearance by terminating the bevel of the aperture shortof the bearingface of the suspension-plate insures a proper contactbetween the said suspension-plate and the stem of the pendulumsimultaneously with a proper seating of the pin between the convergingwalls of the opening in the plate. I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the precise details of construction hereinbeforeset:forth, since,although the particular construction shown in thedrawings and just described is that which I deem the best embodiment ofmy invention, such construetion may be departed from without departingfrom the principle of my invention. For instance, although I havedescribed both the pin and the wall of the aperture as being beveled,yet it is obvious that the beveling of one of these parts may bedispensed with, and although I have shown the pendulum as provided witha pin and the suspension-plate with a slot it will be at onceapparentthat the suspension-plate might carry the pin, while the slottedmember would in this case be carried by the pendulum. Such a merereversal of the construction shown. will be readily understood withoutdetailed description.

As hereinbefore stated, the plate a may be connected to the fixed arm 3in any suitable manner. I prefer, however, to effect this connection byproviding the plate 4: with an inclined slot 15, while the arm 3 issplit at its end to receive the plate, the split portions beingconnected by a screw 16, which passes loosely through one of saidportions and is threaded into the other. By this means the plate 4: maybe readily inserted in the split of the fixed arm and its slot engagedwith the screw, whereupon said screw may be tightened up so as to clampthe plate between the two portions of the arm.

I claim- 1. In a pendulum, arod and a suspensionplate having planemeeting surfaces, one of said parts being provided with an opening andthe other with a pin to engage the same, and one of said engagingdevices being beveled, whereby the plane meeting surfaces of the rod andplate are held in firm bearing contact, substantially as described.

2. In a pendulum, a rod and a suspensionplate having plane meetingsurfaces, said plate being provided with an opening having a beveledmargin, and said rod being provided with a pin to engage the same,whereby the plane meeting surfaces of the rod and plate are held in firmbearing contact, substantially as described.

3. In a pendulum, the combination, with a suspension-plate having anopening therein the lower margin whereof is beveled or inclined, of arod provided with a pin eorre=- spondingly beveled on its under side,said plate and rod havingplane meeting surfaces which are held in firmbearing contact by the bevel or inclination of their engaging parts andthe weight of the pendulum, substantially as described.

4. In a pendulum, the combination, with a suspension-plate having aplane contact-surface and an opening therein of comparativelylargediameter at its upper portion, its lower portion being ii-shaped or ofdown wardly-decreasing diameter and marginally beveled, of a rod havinga plane contact-surface to bear against that of the plate and providedwith a tapered pin adapted to be inserted through the enlarged upperpart of the opening in the plate and to fit the beveled margins of theV-shaped lower portion of said opening, substantially as described.

5. In a pendulum, the combination, with a suspension-plate having aplane contact-surface and an opening of comparatively-large diameter atits upper end and of downwardlydecreasing diameter or ii-shaped below,the margin of said if-shaped portion being beveled and said bevelterminating short of the opposite wall of the plate to form a clearance,of a rod having a plane contact-surface to bear against that of theplate and provided with a tapered pin adapted to be inserted. in theenlarged upper portion of the opening in the plate and to fit thebeveled margin of the V-shaped lower portion, substantially asdescribed.

FRED I. GETTY.

\Vitnesses:

FREDERICK G. Goonwiu, IRVINE MILLER.

